diff --git a/web/src/components/StatusBar/PetalsToggle.tsx b/web/src/components/StatusBar/PetalsToggle.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83c72c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/components/StatusBar/PetalsToggle.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { isPetalsEnabled, onPetalsEnabledChange, setPetalsEnabled } from '../../effects/petals'
+
+// A tiny toggle for Petal's ambient falling-blossom layer, sitting just left of
+// the sound toggle in the status bar. Some people find the drifting petals
+// distracting, so this turns them off entirely. Bilingual tooltip (she reads
+// Mandarin first), and the choice persists across reloads.
+export function PetalsToggle() {
+  const [on, setOn] = useState(isPetalsEnabled)
+
+  // Stay in sync if the setting is flipped elsewhere.
+  useEffect(() => onPetalsEnabledChange(setOn), [])
+
+  const toggle = () => {
+    const next = !on
+    setPetalsEnabled(next)
+    setOn(next)
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      onClick={toggle}
+      aria-pressed={on}
+      title={on ? '花瓣开 · Petals on' : '花瓣关 · Petals off'}
+      aria-label={on ? 'Hide falling petals' : 'Show falling petals'}
+      className="flex items-center justify-center rounded-full px-2 py-1 text-xl leading-none transition-colors"
+      style={{ color: on ? 'var(--color-accent)' : 'var(--color-muted)', lineHeight: 1 }}
+      onMouseEnter={(e) => (e.currentTarget.style.color = 'var(--color-accent-hover)')}
+      onMouseLeave={(e) =>
+        (e.currentTarget.style.color = on ? 'var(--color-accent)' : 'var(--color-muted)')
+      }
+    >
+      <span aria-hidden>{on ? '🌸' : '🍃'}</span>
+    </button>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/web/src/components/StatusBar/StatusBar.tsx b/web/src/components/StatusBar/StatusBar.tsx
index c9b2f84..01aac4f 100644
--- a/web/src/components/StatusBar/StatusBar.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/StatusBar/StatusBar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Fragment, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import type { SaveStatus } from '../../hooks/useAutoSave'
 import { StatsPanel } from './StatsPanel'
+import { PetalsToggle } from './PetalsToggle'
 import { SoundToggle } from './SoundToggle'
 
 interface Props {
@@ -145,7 +146,8 @@ export function StatusBar({ wordCount, text, saveStatus, checking, voicing, coll
           </span>
         </>
       )}
-      <div className="ml-auto">
+      <div className="ml-auto flex items-center">
+        <PetalsToggle />
         <SoundToggle />
       </div>
     </footer>
diff --git a/web/src/effects/PetalFall.tsx b/web/src/effects/PetalFall.tsx
index 8d01d92..8dea48a 100644
--- a/web/src/effects/PetalFall.tsx
+++ b/web/src/effects/PetalFall.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { isPetalsEnabled, onPetalsEnabledChange } from './petals'
 
 // PetalFall is the cozy ambient layer: a fixed, non-interactive 2D canvas that
 // drifts soft cherry-blossom petals down the page. Each petal is a real
@@ -212,8 +213,19 @@ interface Petal {
 
 export function PetalFall({ night = false }: { night?: boolean }) {
   const canvasRef = useRef<HTMLCanvasElement>(null)
+  const [enabled, setEnabled] = useState(isPetalsEnabled)
+
+  // Let the status-bar toggle switch the ambient layer on/off live.
+  useEffect(() => onPetalsEnabledChange(setEnabled), [])
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (!enabled) {
+      // User turned the ambient petals off — wipe any frame left on the canvas.
+      const el = canvasRef.current
+      el?.getContext('2d')?.clearRect(0, 0, el.width, el.height)
+      return
+    }
+
     const reduce =
       typeof window !== 'undefined' &&
       window.matchMedia?.('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches
@@ -347,7 +359,7 @@ export function PetalFall({ night = false }: { night?: boolean }) {
       document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', onVisibility)
       petals = []
     }
-  }, [night])
+  }, [night, enabled])
 
   return (
     <canvas
diff --git a/web/src/effects/petals.ts b/web/src/effects/petals.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e76a2c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/effects/petals.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// The on/off preference for the ambient falling-petals layer (PetalFall). Some
+// people find drifting petals distracting rather than cozy, so the whole effect
+// is opt-out-able and the choice persists in localStorage so it survives reloads.
+// Mirrors the tiny pub/sub used for the sound mute toggle (../audio/sounds).
+
+const STORAGE_KEY = 'petal.petals'
+
+let enabled = readEnabled()
+const listeners = new Set<(on: boolean) => void>()
+
+function readEnabled(): boolean {
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY) !== 'off'
+  } catch {
+    return true
+  }
+}
+
+export function isPetalsEnabled(): boolean {
+  return enabled
+}
+
+export function setPetalsEnabled(on: boolean): void {
+  enabled = on
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, on ? 'on' : 'off')
+  } catch {
+    /* private mode — choice just won't persist */
+  }
+  listeners.forEach((fn) => fn(on))
+}
+
+export function onPetalsEnabledChange(fn: (on: boolean) => void): () => void {
+  listeners.add(fn)
+  return () => listeners.delete(fn)
+}